Light It Up

Last Sunday night as we flew into Dallas I was noticing the lights outside the city. Most of them were subdued, maybe a little orangish in tone, and then there were these massive bright lights that lit up the sky. They were generating enough power to see brightly into the night and darkness. It was pretty impressive.

It made me think about the importance of shining our light, and the difference it makes when we shine dimly or brightly.

Jesus said,

Matthew 5:14–16 NLT

14 “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. 15 No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.

Matthew 5:14 NLT

14 “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden.

Our guest last week, was amazed as we drove into Brighton, and all the lights - he responded -what a big city - I am thinking not Brighton - but compared to a city in the Philippines, the brightness of lights were probably so much greater...

This year, as a church we have set an initiative to LOVE, GIVE, SERVE - this is not intended to be something that just the leadership or corporately we do as a church, but its true intention is that each of us finds a way to let our lights shine in our community.

However, I realized, that it may be a struggle to let our lights shine brightly if we are not plugged into the power source.

Just like the video we watched of trying to saw a log with a chain saw when the power is not turned on, so is our trying to light up our city without being plugged into the fuel source.

There may be many in our church, you hear the Word on shining your light - but you are not sure how to get there.

Well, we need to plug into the source!

A light from a dying battery is dimmer than a light plugged into a wall socket!!!

A generated energy produces more illumines than just a candle!

1. Plug Into the Power

Acts 1:8 NLT

8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Acts 2:4 NLT

4 And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability.

You have heard me say it before, but the early church that transformed their world was the church that plugged into the POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT!

That POWER was given for a purpose - to be a witness!!!

Love, Give, Serve has so much more power when we are plugged into the source of power!

Our lights shine so much brighter when we have the HOLY SPIRIT empowering our lives! A FRESH BOLDNESS that only comes from the Lord!

We cannot have our GREATEST EFFECT (I am not saying we cannot have effect), but our greatest effect comes when we are empowered by the SPIRIT of GOD!

This comes through our prayer life, the testimony that we live out because of the power of the Spirit, and the boldness we carry.

i.e. - Peter denied Christ 3 times the night before He died, but stood up in front of a mocking crowd on the Day of Pentecost and boldly proclaimed the Gospel - the Holy Spirit was the difference.

In fact, all the disciples abandoned Christ, but after being empowered were martyred for the Gospel!

Our community needs to see a CHURCH EMPOWERED by the HOLY SPIRIT!

Last week, we heard of the GLORY OF GOD and what it does in our lives, but this week I want to tell you what it can do THROUGH your lives!!!

God wants to use each of us, and when we surrender to HIS POWER we are able to have greater effect than when we are not!

2. The Power is for All

God’s anointing of the Holy Spirit is NOT LIMITED to just a few - it is available to all who seek it!

Do not think that God would deny you the power and only give it to some --- although GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT may vary, the GIFT OF THE SPIRIT is for ALL!!!

Acts 10:34 NLT

34 Then Peter replied, “I see very clearly that God shows no favoritism.

Matthew 7:7–9 NLT

7 “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. 9 “You parents—if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead?

Luke 11:9–13 NLT

9 “And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. 11 “You fathers—if your children ask for a fish, do you give them a snake instead? 12 Or if they ask for an egg, do you give them a scorpion? Of course not! 13 So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him.”

The promise is not to seek for things, or position, or our wants, but in seeking, knocking and asking to RECEIVE THE HOLY SPIRIT!!!

It is for ALL BELIEVERS!

Luke 3:16 NLT

16 John answered their questions by saying, “I baptize you with water; but someone is coming soon who is greater than I am—so much greater that I’m not even worthy to be his slave and untie the straps of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.

John 1:33 NLT

33 I didn’t know he was the one, but when God sent me to baptize with water, he told me, ‘The one on whom you see the Spirit descend and rest is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’

This is a gift that JESUS has for all who believe! He wants to give us the HOLY SPIRIT.

WHY, because the POWER of the SPIRIT is what helps us OVERCOME IN THIS WORLD!!!

OVERCOME SIN

OVERCOME FEAR

OVERCOME OBSTACLES TO THE FAITH

Why wouldn’t He want this for ALL HIS CHILDREN???

3. How do I Plug In?

We have made it so complex --- there has been so much confusion about the simplicity of receiving the Holy Spirit.

Last week, I watched one young man in our church just simply reaching out to Christ when the Holy Spirit came on Him.

We place so much on the evidence (speaking in another language) that we have lost sight of what the plug in is...

Releasing our power source for the infinite power source!!!

Like taking our cell phones off a portable battery charger and plugging it into the wall, we have to surrender one source of strength for another!!!

We have to stop relying on ourselves, and SURRENDER ALL to JESUS asking HIM to take charge!!!

As we raise our hands in surrender, as we yield our hearts of ALL WE HOLD ONTO AND CONTROL and say JESUS TAKE OVER --- it is about giving ALL TO CHRIST!!!

We are simply saying I NEED YOU TO DO IT ALL! I PLUG INTO YOUR POWER AND YIELD MY OWN STRENGTH - USE ME AS YOU WILL!!!

Acts 10:43–46 NLT

43 He is the one all the prophets testified about, saying that everyone who believes in him will have their sins forgiven through his name.” 44 Even as Peter was saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who were listening to the message. 45 The Jewish believers who came with Peter were amazed that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles, too. 46 For they heard them speaking in other tongues and praising God. Then Peter asked,

What was happening here??

Cornelius and his household were listening with their hearts and responding to God, with their hearts they were saying we want ALL OF JESUS and the POWER OF GOD CAME UPON THEM!!!

Acts 19:1–5 NLT

1 While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul traveled through the interior regions until he reached Ephesus, on the coast, where he found several believers. 2 “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” he asked them. “No,” they replied, “we haven’t even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” 3 “Then what baptism did you experience?” he asked. And they replied, “The baptism of John.” 4 Paul said, “John’s baptism called for repentance from sin. But John himself told the people to believe in the one who would come later, meaning Jesus.” 5 As soon as they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

Here these men of faith had only heard of John the Baptist, now that they heard of Christ they with faith received Him, were baptized and then baptized in the Holy Spirit --

What took place, nothing but a total surrender to Christ!

We do not receive because we do not ask!!! We do not surrender our all!!!

IF we would surrender our all and ask - WE WILL RECEIVE!

UNPLUG from our WILL and PLUG into JESUS WILL!!!!

There are no secret words to say, no hidden expectations — just a surrendered heart willing to receive ALL THE POWER GOD HAS FOR THEM!!!

CONCLUSION

I believe that God has great things He wants to accomplish through Destiny Church - not the building or corporation, but the PEOPLE - we are the church!

He does not want us to do it in our strength, but in HIS POWER!

We may not yet be LOVING, SERVING, GIVING because we are afraid, we don’t know how, we don’t feel capable ---

We need the POWER

WE NEED TO PLUG IN

WE NEED TO LIGHT UP OUR CITY!